Suction cleaner



Dgc. 30, 1941. w. H. KITTO 2,268,404

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 23, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z7 INVENTOR [272 William fiffl'tto @SEZWMQ ATTORNEY Dec. 30, 1941. w. H. KITTO 2,268,404

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec; 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIA'IM INVENTOR William H Irma ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1941 SUCTION CLEANER William H. Kitto, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover ponti on of Ohio Company, North Canton, Ohio, a cor- Application December 2:, 1939, sum No. 310,752

Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to a new and improved rotary agitator for a suction cleaner. More $96- cifically the invention comprises a suction cleaner rotary agitator incorporating removable brush elements which are positioned and secured by new and novel means.

It is an object of the present invention to pro,- vide a new and improved suction cleaner. It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved rotary agitator in a suction cleaner. A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved brush securing construction in a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner. Still another object of the invention is to provide manually operable securing means for a removable and reversible brush element in a rotary agitator. A still further object of the invention is to provide brush-securing means of the spring-pressed type in a rotary agitator which means are adapted to be displaced manually from their operative position to a retracted position in which they are self retained until released by the operator. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, and in which the same reference character refers to the same parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a front view of a suction cleaner embodying an agitator constructed in accordance with the present invention, a section being cut through the cleaner nozzle to show the agitator positioned therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section through the agitator being taken upon a helical plane through the brush seat illustrated in Figure 1 and shows one of the brushes in place within its seat and in its inner radial or new brush position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the brush reversed end for end and in the outer radial or worn brush position;

Figure 4 illustrates the manner in which the operator displaces the spring-pressed detent to its retracted position in which it is self-retained,

and also the manner in which the detent is released to reassume its brush-retaining position; Figure 5 is a section upon the line 5-5 of Figure 3 but with the brush removed and illustrating the brush-seating shoulders at the inner end of the seat;

Figure 6 is a top view of the brush element;

Figure '7 is a view in perspective of the shoulders 42 and 43 at the end of the brush back;

Figure 8 is a sectional view in perspective of the spring-pressed detent with the spring removed.

Referring to Figure 1 in particular a rotary agitator I constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated positioned within the nozzle 2 of a common and well known type suction cleaner. Nozzle 2 is interiorly connected to a fan chamber 3 which houses a rotary fan 4 carried by the depending lower end of a motor shaft 5. The motor itself is not shown but is positioned within the motor casing 6 immedi-' ately above the fan chamber and is suitably connected at its lower end with the power-transmitting belt 1 which rotates the agitator I. The cleaner body is movably supported by wheels 8 and, as in the usual cleaner, a pivoted handle 9 is provided by which the operator can exert a propelling force.

The rotary agitator I, which is shown in detail in the Figures 2, to '7 of the drawings, is seen to comprise a cylindrical body] I which is formed substantially centrally with a pulley surface l2, and which has eachof its ends closed by an end cap l3 which is a ring-like member, U-shaped in section; the cap being formed with a suitable peripheral rim ll which limits the movement of the cap into the agitator body. Each end cap l3 carries a ball bearing l5, specifically seating the outer race i6 thereof while the inner race I! is mounted upon the reduced end I8 of a supporting shaft 19 which extends entirely through the agitator, being threaded at its extreme ends which extend therefrom. The inner race ll of each bearing is held against the shoulder between the reduced end l8 of the shaft and the main portion thereof by means of an internally threaded nut 20. which also carries a thread guard element 2|. The latter encloses, in slightly spaced relationship, the peripheral flange ll of the end cap l3 to provide a protecting seal for the bearing [5.

The inner face of each end cap l3 carries a thrust plate 23 which is suitably secured thereto, as by welding, and there is positioned, between that plate and the outer race of the bearing IS a thrust washer 24 which serves to maintain the outerrace, the inner race and the intermediate ball in proper operating relationship. Suitable seals 25 extend between the inner race I! and able manner within the nozzle 2 through the ends of the shaft l3, and more specifically the enclosing nut elements 23 thereon, being suitably secured in place in any common and well known manner at the nozzle end walls. It is desirable that the agitator be removable as in the case of all rotary agitators in cleaners.

The surface-contacting means of the agitator comprise helically extending rigid beater elements 21 which are smooth, hard, metallic elements of relatively small height above the surface of the agitator body and which are adapted to contact and beat, upon the rotation 01 the agitator, a surface covering which is lifted against the nozzle by the reduced pressure therein. These rigid beater elements 21 are positioned upon each side of the substantially centrally located pulley surface l2 and there is seen to be positioned substantially diametrically opposite to each, although this arrangement may be varied, a flexible brush element, which is indicated by the reference character 23. Brush elements 28 also extend helically and are removably positioned within helically extending seats 23 and releasably retained therein by means which comprise the present invention.

Each helically extending brush element 28 comprises a rigid back 3| from one side of which extends a plurality of brush tufts 32 which are so positioned and arranged that, with the brush mounted in the agitator, their outer ends describe a helix which lies in a cylinder concentric to the agitator body Each brush element 28 is reversibly positioned in its brush seat 23 in order that it may have two positions, that is, a new brush or inner radial position in which it is placed when new and, an outer radial or "worn brus position, in which it is placed after it has been used and the bristle length has decreased through wear.

The exact adjusting means by which the brush obtains its radial adjustment upon being reversed is disclosed and claimed in the co-filed application, Ser. No. 310,743, filed in the name of Vernon E. Carlson. These adjusting means comprise cooperating parts upon the brush back 3| and upon the brush seat 23. The seat-carried means comprise raised abutments 35, 35 in the bottom of the brush seat which are positioned at unequal distances from the longitudinal center thereof. Upon the bottom of the brush back 3! are downwardly extending abutments 36, 36 which are separated by a distance equal to the spacing of seat abutments 35, 35 and which, in one position of the brush in the brush seat, as illustrated in Figure 3, are adapted to abut and contact the seat abutments. In such relationship they give to the brush its outer radial position as illustrated in Figure 3. The difference in radial extension of the same brush in the inner and in the outer radial positions is equal to the height of the abutments 36. With the brush psitioned in its inner radial or new brush position, as illustrated in Figure 2, the abutments 36 and 35 are out of contact and the normal brush bottom rests directly upon the abutments 35. At its inner radial end, as shown in Figure 2, the brush back 3| is formed with an outwardly extended sloping shoulder 36 which abuts a pair of spaced lower shoulders 33 formed in the end wall of the brush seat between which is an upper shoulder 40. This contact of brush shoulder 38 with the lower shoulders 33, as illustrated in Figure 2, with the brush in the new brush posi- 76 tion, prevents the outward radial movement of the inner end of the brush.

At its opposite or outer end, that is, adjacent the end cap in Figure 2, the brush back 3| is provided with a pair of spaced low shoulders 42 between which is positioned an inner high shoulder 43. The distance in height on the brush back separating the shoulders 42 and 43 is exactly equal to the distance separating the brush seat shoulders 33 and 43. Additionally, the brush back shoulder 42 is lower than the shoulder 36 at its opposite end by a distance which is exactly equal to the height of the back abutment 36.

The outer end of the brush element is retained in place by means of a spring-pressed hollow detent 45 which projects through an aperture 46 in the end cap |3, through a second aperture 41 in the adjacent end wall of the brush seat 23, and which is formed at its outer end with a downwardly sloping brush-contacting face 46 above which is positioned a slightly concaved face 43 which is shaped as to be adapted to receive the end of a tool such as a screw driver. Positioned within the detent 45 is a coil spring 5| which abuts at its outer end a cup member 52 permanently secured in the end cap l3 and which at its inner end abuts the forward end of the detent 45. Spring 5| at all times exerts a force upon the detent 45 which tends to move it outwardly into the brush seat 23. As illustrated in Figure 2 the detent, and particularly its sloping face 43, is in contact with the sloping upper shoulder 43 on the adjacent end of the brush back and exerts a downwardly wedging action to hold the outer end of the brush back in the seat and in contact with the seat abutments 35. It also holds the opposite end of the brush against the shoulder at the opposite end of the seat.

The detent construction is completed by a flat plate 53 on its underside. The forward edge of plate 53 is adapted to abut the edge of aperture 41 in the end of the brush seat to prevent the detent being displaced entirely into the brush seat when no brush element is present. It has the additional function of locking the detent in an inner displaced position, as illustrated in Figure 4, when the detent body 45 has been retracted and tilted slightly downwardly, as by a force exerted by the displacing tool 55, until it has caught behind the somewhat spaced lower side of aperture 46 in the end cap l3. The withdrawal of the tool 55 permits the spring 6| to hold the detent in this locked position with the end plate 53 abutting the cap I3 at the sides of the aperture 46 and when so positioned the forward end of the detent body 45 does not extend into.

the brush seat and the operator is free to remove and reverse the brush element 3| therein.

In the reversed relationship of the brush in its agitator seat 23, that is the outer radial or worn brush position, as illustrated in Figure 3, the downwardly extended abutments 36 upon the bottom of the brush back 3| contact the upwardly extended abutments 35 in the brush seat. The brush back 3| is then positioned radially outwardly beyond its original inner radial or "new brush position a distance which is equal to the height of the abutment elements 36. In this reversed relationship outward radial movement of the brush is again prevented at the inner end of the brush by the cooperation of the shoulders upon the brush back and the brush seat. As described, the brush shoulders 42 and 43 are vertically spaced by a distance equal to the spacing between the seat shouldeis 33 and 43, and, as

, At the opposite end of the brush back the intermediate sloping shoulder is in contact with the sloping face ll of the detent lb and the force exerted by the detent spring II urges the detent thereag-ainst to wedge the brush back against the seat shoulders at the opposite ends of the seat and also to force the brush back downwardly on the abutments on the bottom of the brush seat.

As indicated above, the change from the new brush" position to the worn brush" position, a change made necessary by the decrease in bristleextension through wear, is accomplished by a simple operation in which the operator makes use of a tool such as a screw driver. As illustrated in Figure 4, the operator places the tool against the concave face 49 of detent body 45, exerts an outward force thereon which causes the detent body to move inwardly into the end cap [3 until the bottom plate 53 passes beyond the aperture 48 of the cap. Thereafter a slight downward force tilts the detent downwardly and causes the end of plate 53 to abut the cap I! adjacent the aperture 40. Thereafter the tool 55 may be withdrawn for the force of the detent spring Si is sulllcient to hold the detent. The brush element may then be withdrawn by the operator grasping the bristles l2, reversed end for end, and reinserted in the brush seat, the change made being from the position illustrated in Figure 2 to that illustrated in Figure 3. The operator then effects the release of the detent by placing the tool 55 under the sloping face 48 on the underside of the detent 45, exerting a slight lifting force to disengage the forward edge of the plate 53 and the cap it, thereby permitting the detent spring 5| to urge the detent outwardly into locking position in which it contacts the adjacent brush back shoulder.

I claim:

1. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner. a body formed with an elongated brush seat, fixed means at one end of said seat to retain a brush therein, and manually operable means at the opposite end of said seat to retain a brush therein, said manually operable means comprising a spring-pressed detent having a rigid body and mounted for movement into and from said seat and a coil spring urging said body into said seat, and means to retain said detent releasably in an inoperative position.

2. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, an agitator body including an hollow cylinder and an end cap closing one end of-said cylinder, a brush seat in said body having its outer end adjacent said end cap, means at the inner end of brush seat in said body having its outer end adjacent said cap, means at the inner end or said seat to overlie a brush element therein to prevent displacement and manually operable means at the outer end of said seat to prevent displacement, said last-mentioned means comprising a detent slidably mounted in said cap for movement into and from said seat, a stop on said detent, and spaced stops adapted selectively to cooperate with said detent stop to flx its extension into said seat, and a spring urging said detent into said seat and adapted to hold said detent stop against said spaced stops.

4. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, an agitator body including an hollow cylinder and an end cap closing one end of said cylinder, a

brush seat in said body with its outer end adjacent said cap, means at the inner end of said seat to overlie a brush element therein to prevent displacement, and manually operable means at the outer end of said seat to prevent displacement, said last-mentioned means comprising a hollow detent formed with a sloping brush-abutting face and with a tool-seating face, a fixed projecting stop on said detent, spaced fixed stops on said agitator adapted to be selectively contacted by said detent stop to position the extension of said detent into said seat, a coil spring in said detent urging it from said cap, said detent being formed with a brush-wedging face and with a tool-seating face on its end facing said seat.

5. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, an agitator body including an hollow cylinder and an end cap closing one end of said cylinder, a

brush seat in said body with its outer end adjacent said cap, means at the innerend of said said seat to overlie a brush element therein to prevent displacement, and mafiualiy operable means at the outer end of said seat to prevent displacement, said last-mentioned means comprising a detent slidably mounted in said cap for movement into and from said seat, a spring urging said detent into said seat, and means to limit the movement of said detent into said seat at two positions in one of which said detent extends into said seat to overlie a brush and in one of which it is displaced from said seat.

3. In a rotaryagitator for a suction cleaner, an agitator body including an hollow cylinder and an end cap closing one end of said cylinder, 9.

seat to overlie a brush element therein to prevent displacement, and manually operable means at the outer end of said seat to prevent displacement, said last-mentioned means comprising a detent mounted for sliding and tilting movement in said cap, a spring urging said detent into said seat, a stop on said detent, a fixed stop on said body to limit the extension of said detent into said seat, a second fixed stop on said body adapted to. be contacted by said detent stop in a retracted tilted position, said spring functioning to hold said detent against said fixed stops.

6. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a cylindrical body formed with a brush seat, means at one end of said seat to retain a brush in said seat, the opposite end of said seat being formed with an aperture, a detent, means slidingly mounting said detent at said aperture for movement therethrough into said seat into brushretainlng position, spring means urging said detent into said seat, a stop on said detent, and a fixed stop to cooperate with said detent stop to hold said detent in a retracted position.

'7. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a cylindrical body formed with a brush seat, means at one end of said seat to retain a brush in said seat, the opposite end of said seat being formed with an aperture, a brush-retaining detent, means slidingly and tiltingly mounting said detent for movement into and from said seat at said aperture, spring means urging said detent through said aperture into said seat into brush retaining position, a stop on said detent, a stop to cooperate with said detent stop to limit the maximum extension of said detent into said seat, and a second stop to cooperate with said detent stop with said detent in a retracted tilted position to hold said detent from said seat.

8. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a cylindrical body formed with an helical brush seat, an helical brush reversibly positioned in said seat, means to vary the radial projection of said brush in the reversed positions in said seat, means at one end of said seat to prevent outward radial movement of said brush, and manually operable displaceable means at the opposite end of said seat to retain a brush therein, said displaceable means comprising a detent adapted to overlie a brush in its reversed positions, means mounting said detent for sliding movement in said seat and for tilting movement outside said seat, spring means urging said detent toward said seat, and cooperating stops on said detent and said body to limit the movement of said detent into said seat and to hold said detent out of said seat in a retracted tilted position.

9. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a cylindrical body formed with a brush seat, means at one end of said seat to retain a brush in said seat, the opposite end of said seat being formed with an aperture, a detent including a body formed at its brush-contacting end with a sloping cam face slidingly mounted at said aperture for movement therethrough into said seat and into brush-retaining position and in said position being exposed through said seat to the exterior of the agitator so as to enable an operator to move it to inoperative position, and spring means abutting said detent and urging it into said seat with a force sufficient to enable said detent to hold a brush against its centrifugal force in agitator rotation.

10. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a cylindrical body formed with a brush seat, means at one end of said seat provided with detent-seating means to seat slidingly a detent, a detent slidingly seated in said detent-seating means and including a body formed at its brush-contacting end with a brush-contacting cam face, spring means resiliently holding said detent in its brushretaining position in which it is exposed through the seat to the exterior of the agitator to enable WILLIAMH.KI'1"IO. 

